What Are Magic Mushrooms?

Magic mushrooms may be sold on the street as dried whole mushrooms or as a brown powdered material. They contain a hallucinogenic substance called Psilocybin. This is the active component, and it's also available in a white powder or tablets, or capsules.

What Are the Effects?

The effects of magic mushrooms on an individual are unpredictable and are different for each person. Effects are felt in about 30 minutes and last about three to six hours. Hallucinations (that can last up to four days) alter a person’s perceptions (e.g. seeing, hearing or feeling things that aren’t really there), thoughts, moods and feelings.

Effects can include:

• altered senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, sound)
• hallucinations
• dizziness and/or light-headedness
• stomach cramps and/or nausea
• increased blood pressure and heartbeat
• anxiety

Hallucinations can re-occur unexpectedly, sometimes long after its original use – this is often-called a flashback.

Are they Dangerous?

Other drugs can be mixed in with Psilocybin that can seriously increase your chances of a bad reaction or other consequences. You also run a risk of accidentally eating a poisonous mushroom instead. Some poisonous mushrooms can be fatal within hours.

There are many different species of mushrooms in the world – some are edible, some are poisonous and some are hallucinogenic. Identifying mushrooms accurately is extremely difficult! Only experienced gatherers or experts (mycologists) should try.

Find out more about Magic Mushrooms.

Have fun and do the Magic Mushrooms Quiz.